You should always alert your own car insurance company of an accident as soon as you can, even if you weren’t at fault. Whether you contact the other driver’s insurer largely depends on the severity of the accident.
With an accident that involves very minor injuries and/or vehicle damage, you may be safe in contacting the at-fault driver’s insurer to get a repair claim rolling. But if your injuries are more serious, there are important reasons to avoid that call.
It’s best to allow your insurer or even a skilled California car accident attorney to handle all communications with an unhelpful car insurance company.
Avoiding a Car Insurance Mistake After a California Accident
Phone calls can offer the most dangerous threat to a successful car accident claim. Victims must be careful who they call and who they accept calls from.
For starters, you should always contact your car insurance company on the day of the accident if you are able. This should be the first step regardless of who was to blame.
Who Should I Call After a Minor Accident
With a lower-value car repair case, where fault is clear, you are often fine to contact the at-fault motorist’s insurer. A quick trip to the emergency room to get minor injuries checked out could also be paid without much hassle.
The car repair process has become a fairly standardized process in the car insurance business. You may meet little resistance to getting car parts replaced and having the work paid for, perhaps a rental car paid for.
But if insurers don’t seem to feel they should help, or if an insurance adjuster starts to question your role in the accident, it may be time to politely decline giving any more information and hang up. You can hopefully count on your insurance agent to sort things out.
You should still contact your insurance agent after a minor accident. You want your insurer informed in case the other driver calls them and falsely claims that you were in the wrong.
Who Should I Call If I’m Injured in a Car Accident
If a car accident leaves you with a serious injury, like a broken bone or head trauma, you should still call your own lawyer. However, it’s a good idea to cut off all communication with the other driver’s car insurer.
A more serious injury brings higher medical bills, and in some cases, an unknown recovery time. Insurers go on high alert when they see costs rising, and they will be looking harder for ways to escape accountability for much higher medical bills.
Call your insurer and then allow your insurance agent, or an experienced car accident lawyer, to handle further communications.
What to Say If the Other Driver’s Car Insurance Representative Calls You
You must avoid contacting the opposing insurer, but you must also be careful if they call you. When insurers need an excuse to reject your claim, they’ll often call you fishing for reasons.
Here are a few things to remember if an insurer dials your phone number:
- Never give a recorded statement. Insurers want to get you talking about your accident, hoping you’ll say something they can twist to hurt your case.
- Don’t say “I’m fine.” This is a comment that can be twisted to mean you aren’t injured. The insurer will try to claim you admitted you weren’t really hurt in the crash. Let your doctor explain your injuries for you.
- Don’t say “my bad.” This is another statement that gets used by insurers to mean that you accepted the blame for the collision. Allow investigating officers and your attorney to prove who was really to blame.
- Be polite and only give basic information like your car information, your personal contact information, and any insurance information.
- Get off the phone. Refer the insurance adjuster to your insurer or to your car accident attorney and hang up.
It’s a good idea to be suspicious if you feel pressured by the other driver’s insurer or if the other insurer doesn’t seem to be accepting blame.
How a Car Accident Attorney Can Improve the Outcome of Your Case
Remember, with a car accident that only involves vehicle damage or a very minor injury, you may not need a lawyer’s help. But if you have suffered a serious injury, it’s a good idea to talk over your options with a real attorney.
A skilled attorney fully investigates the accident and uses the evidence collected to keep the blame on the right person in your claim.
Then your California car accident lawyer fights the insurance company to get the biggest settlement possible. This often adds up to much more than you could secure by handling your case yourself. Any settlement should cover your medical bills for as long as necessary. It should replace the income you’ve lost while having to miss work. It must also compensate for the pain you’ve endured and the emotional damage you’ve suffered.
Maison Law of California offers a free, no-obligation consultation to all injured victims. And if you need our help to earn more, you don’t have to figure out how you’ll afford a lawyer. We don’t get paid unless we win your case. Then your lawyer’s fee is covered by the settlement check an insurer must send you.
